This invention relates to a vapor generating and recovering apparatus for vaporizing a liquid and condensing a vapor and more particularly relates to an improved apparatus for vaporizing a liquid and condensing a vapor wherein the heat requirement within the apparatus is subjected to instantaneous and substantial changes.
In the present state of the art, vapor generating and recovering devices for vaporizing and condensing a liquid are utilized in many different areas. For example, in the cleaning of objects such as metallic tools, plastic parts, and the like, hot or boiling solvents have been utilized to remove undesirable soluble and particulate matter from these tools, parts, and the like by immersing the soiled object into hot or boiling solvent. In bringing the solvent to a boiling temperature, a solvent vapor zone is created above the boiling solvent solution in the tank or chamber in which the objects may be placed for cleaning. The vaporized solvent is then subject to cooling or condensing means and is recovered. However, when baskets or parts are immersed into the boiling solvent the heat requirements undergo a radical change as it is necessary to provide more heat to the solvent to maintain the solvent in a boiling or vaporizing condition and maintain vapor level and constant distillation. Furthermore, when these objects are removed from the solution less heat requirements are needed. Vapors then escape the condensing zone of the apparatus through the open top as the vaporization of the liquid solvent increases substantially and the condensing means is generally insufficient to keep up with the dramatic change in the decreased heat requirements of the apparatus.